Whiffletree-clip.



N0. 633,509. Patented 001:. l', IQOI.

C. SMALLWUUD.

WHIFFLETREE CLIP.

(Application filed May 31, 1901.

(N0 Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT @Tmcn.

CHARLES SMALLWVOOD, OF WASHINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA.

WHIFFLETRE E-GLIP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,509, dated October1, 1901.

Application filed May 31, 1901. Serial No. 62,642. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES SMALLWooD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington, in the county of Beaufort and State of NorthCarolina, have invented a new and useful Whiftletree-Olip, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in whifl'letree-clips.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofwhiftletree-clips and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficientone adapted to be securely fastened toawhifiietree without perforatingthe latter and capable of being readily removed therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clip of this characteradapted to afford a firm support for a whifflet-ree-hook, to hold thelatter in proper position with relation to the whiffletree, and toprevent the hook from dropping out of engagement with the traces.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a whiffletree-clipconstructed in accordance with this invention and shown applied to aportion of a whiffletree. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig.3 is a detail perspective view of the clip.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawlngs.

1 designates a whiffletree-clip consisting of a single piece of metalbent between its ends to form upper and lower jaws 2 and 3 and curved toconform to the shape of a whiffletree 4", which may be of any desiredconfiguration. The jaws of the clip are extended in advance of thewhiffietree to provide ears 4t and 5, which are spaced apart to receivethe shank 6 of a whiffietree-hook 7. The upper and lower jaws areprovided with central openings 8, formed by diagonal cuts centrallycrossing each other and providing triangular tongues or projections 10,which are bent inward, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of theaccompanying drawings. These tongues or projections form pointed spurs,which are embedded in the upper and lower faces of the whiflietree,being forced into the same by the means hereinafter described, and theyenable the jaws to firmly grip the whiffletree and hold the clipsecurely in place against longitudinal movement in either direction. Bythis construction the clip is adapted to be securely fastened to awhiffletree without perforating the same for the reception of a bolt orsimilar fastening device; but should the tongues or spurs after a longtime become worn down or broken a bolt may then be passed through theopenings of the upper and lower jaws and through the whifiletree.

The ears 4 and 5, which are located in advance of the whiftletree, areprovided with perforations 11 and 12 for the reception of a bolt 13,which also passes through the shank of the hook. The bolt 13 is adaptedto draw the upper and lower jaws together and force the spurs orprojections into the whiffletree, and the clip is sufficiently resilientto spring open and withdraw the tongues or spurs from the upper andlower faces of the whiftletree when the bolt 13 is removed. The upperperforation 11 of the ear 4 is rectangular to conform to theconfiguration of the adjacent portion of the shank of the bolt toprevent the latter from rotating and loosening the nut. The hook 7,which extends forward from the clip, has its bill 14 located directlyover the shank and bent downward, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, to confinea trace-chain or other connection in the hook and to prevent the latterfrom dropping out of engagement with the trace. The whiftletree-hook ispivotally mounted between the ears of the clip and is adapted to swinghorizontally to yield to the movements of the whiffletree.

Instead of pivoting a whiiiietree-hook between the extended ears a ringor link or any other suitable device may be connected to a whiffietreeby the clip. The clip may be arranged either at the center or end of awhittletree and can be advantageously employed for connectiu g awhittletree to the beam of a plow.

It will be seen that the device is exceed ingly simple and inexpensivein construction, that the inwardly-extending spurs or projectionsobviate the necessity of perforating the whiffletree, and that the clipis resilient and is adapted to withdraw the spurs or projecpassedthrough the clip, and a fastening detions when the bolt is removed. viceconnecting the jaws and adapted to hold What I claim is the spurs inengagement with a whiffletree,

In a device of. the class described, a clip substantially as described.15 5 for whifiletrees provided with upper and lower In testimony'that Iclaim the foregoing as jaws having cuts crossing each other, the sevmyown I have hereto affi xed my signature in ered portions of the metalbeing bent inward the presence of two witnesses.

to provide alined openings and to form in- CHARLES SMALLWOOD.wardly-extending pointed spurs 0r tongues \Vitnesses: 10 for engaging awhiffletree, said alined open- J. L. NICHOLSON,

ings being adapted to permit a bolt to be GUY HARDING.

